Circuit boards are typically equipped with heat exchange systems for cooling integrated circuits mounted on such boards. For example, a motherboard often employs such a heat exchange system for the purpose of cooling various related components [e.g. a central processing unit (CPU), memory circuits, graphics processor, etc.]. To improve operation of such heat exchange systems, a heat transfer medium (e.g. heat pipe, etc.) is often positioned between the circuit board components and/or any related heat exchangers.
To date, the use of the foregoing heat transfer medium has been passive in nature, thereby allowing the heat transfer medium to unconditionally transfer heat from one area of the circuit board to another. While, in certain circumstances, this may be acceptable if not desired, other situations arise where it is not. Just by way of example, a first integrated circuit may produce more heat than a second integrated circuit, and thus allow for dissipation of such heat via an interconnected heat transfer medium. However, in the case where the second integrated circuit has a lower temperature threshold, such heat transfer may be undesired. There is thus a need for addressing this and/or other issues associated with the prior art.